1. You say we pay

2. evolution

3. The three legged stool
analogy

4. Imago dei

5. tradition

6. Sacred scripture

7. transcendence

8. omnipotent

9. The design argument

10. Stephen fry – god is a
‘monster and a maniac’

11. Cosmological argument
The first cause –
Cosmological argument

12. Foundational Theology
Unit 1: Origins and meaning
What do Catholics believe about the origins of the universe? Pt.2
Learning objective:
To examine the main beliefs of Catholics concerning the origins of the Universe.

13. What does success look like today? Today’s success criteria:
Lesson title: What do Catholics believe about the origins of the universe?
L.O. To examine the main beliefs of Catholics concerning the origins of the Universe.
Today’s success criteria:
You MUST understand Chasterton’s Story-teller analogy.
You SHOULD argue how logical this theory is.
You COULD explain St. Augustine’s ‘creatio ex nihlo.

14. Story-writing game
We are going to write in groups a funny story about how the world was created.
Each person must write one line per paper before passing it on to the next person who writes the next line before they too pass it on.
There are 8 stages to the game.

15. What existed before anything else.
Story-writing game pt.1
Beginning:
What existed before anything else.

16. Describe the ‘thing/being’ that starts off your world.
Story-writing game pt.2
Beginning:
Describe the ‘thing/being’ that starts off your world.

17. What is the first thing your being does.
Story-writing game pt.3
Action 1:
What is the first thing your being does.

18. What is the second thing your being does?
Story-writing game pt.4
Action 2:
What is the second thing your being does?

19. What is the third thing your being does.
Story-writing game pt.5
Action 3:
What is the third thing your being does.

20. What is the fourth thing your being does.
Story-writing game pt.6
Action 4:
What is the fourth thing your being does.

21. What is the last thing your being does.
Story-writing game pt.7
Action 5:
What is the last thing your being does.

22. Story-writing game pt.8
Ending:
How does your story end?

23. The story-teller analogy
Now you have finished your story its time to read out each of your collective stories to the rest of your table group.
Green hat thinking:
Can you have a story without a story teller/writer?
How might this link to the creation of the world?

24. The story-teller analogy
G. K. Chesterton (A catholic journalist) created the ‘story-teller analogy’.
He said ‘just like every story needs a story-teller, so too does the world need an author…that story-teller Catholics called God’.
God for Chesterton is the one who gives the Universe meaning.
Discussion question:
Does the world need a story-teller?
If so, does it have to be God?
Discuss.

25. Below are some of the key Catholic beliefs about God.
Mime challenge:
Below are some of the key Catholic beliefs about God.
You have 10 minutes in small groups to come up with a mime for each of them.
Omnipotent – God is all powerful.
Omniscient – God is all knowing.
Omnibenevolent – God is all loving.
Eternal – God is without beginning or end.
Transcendent – God exists outside of space and time.

26. St. Augustine and creatio ex nihilo
St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, said that:
God created the world out of nothing – creatio ex nihilo.
That God is transcendent and eternal.
That God is omnipotent therefore only he has the power to create something out of nothing.
Learning objective:
To examine the main beliefs of Catholics concerning the origins of the Universe.

27. There are a total of 8 questions to discuss.
A happy date is a re
Speed date!
Standing in 2 lines (line A and line B) you will have 45 seconds with your partner to discuss the question on the board.
After 45 seconds your teacher will pick on a pair and ask them to share what they discussed.
Then people in line A will move along one partner and discuss the next question.
There are a total of 8 questions to discuss.
Good luck!

28. How do you believe the world was created?
Number 1!
How do you believe the world was created?

29. Do you agree with Chesterton that the world needs a ‘story-teller’?
Number 2!
Do you agree with Chesterton that the world needs a ‘story-teller’?
Why?

30. Number 3! Do you believe that God is omnipotent?
What proof do you have that he is or isn’t?

31. Number 4!
If God was omnipotent he would have the power to end all wars in the world?

32. The world was clearly designed by God?
Number 5!
The world was clearly designed by God?
Discuss.

33. “Stephen Fry is stupid to call God a monster and a maniac”.
Number 6!
“Stephen Fry is stupid to call God a monster and a maniac”.
Discuss.

34. “God had to be the first cause of the universe”.
Number 7!
“God had to be the first cause of the universe”.
Discuss.

35. “God was the cause of the Big Bang.”
Number 8!
“God was the cause of the Big Bang.”
Discuss.

36. Plenary challenge
Design an A3 mind map using words and pictures to show the 4 main Catholic beliefs about the creation of the world.
You must include:
Paley’s Design Argument.
Aquinas’ Cosmological (First Cause) Argument.
Chesterton’s Story-teller analogy.
St. Augustine’s Creatio ex Nihilo theory.
Learning objective:
To examine the main beliefs of Catholics concerning the origins of the Universe.